Skirting a glacial fiord before climbing into the coast mountains, the Sea to Sky Highway, a ribbon of road between Vancouver and Whistler, is one of the world’s great road trips.

You can drive the route, also known as British Columbia Highway 99, in fewer than two hours, but why rush it? All along the way are long ocean views, jagged peaks, thick forests, evocative historic sites and some of the best outdoor adventure options on the planet.

And that’s just for starters.

The new Sea to Sky Gondola, which opened just south of Squamish in May, can whisk you high into the alpine to see this landscape from a whole new angle.

At the top, viewing options include the Chief Overlook, a deck which cantilevers over a sheer drop (gulp) and the Sky Pilot suspension bridge, a 100 metre (328-foot) walkway stretched high above the fiord.

It’s OK. You can look down. You can also explore 30 kilometres (19 miles) of hiking trails, ranging from stroller-friendly walks to backcountry treks, learn about the local Stawamus First Nation’s heritage along the interpretive Spirit Trail or just soak up the views over lunch at the Summit Lodge.

About halfway along the Sea to Sky Highway, tucked between Howe Sound and the Coast Mountains, and surrounded by eight provincial parks, Squamish has claimed the title ‘Outdoor Recreation Capital of Canada.’

And with good reason: it’s not just that you can rock climb, raft, windsurf, hike, bike, scuba dive, fish and golf here, it’s that, in Squamish and all along the Sea to Sky corridor, you can do most of these things at a world-class level.

Rock climbers, for example, speak in hushed tones about the Stawamus Chief. One of North America’s largest granite monoliths, the Chief looms 700 metres (2,300 feet) above the town and attracts climbers from around the globe.

Not climbing?

A hiking trail up the back of the Chief achieves the same views, if less glory. Alternatively, you can settle in over a microbrew at the Howe Sound Inn & Brewing Company and watch the climbers from there.

With so many parks in the area, hiking trails abound, from easy walks leading to pretty cascades at Shannon Falls and Brandywine Falls, to multi-day wilderness treks among the glaciers, extinct volcanoes and wildflower meadows of Garibaldi Provincial Park. Mountain bikers are spoiled for choice too; more than 150 routes in the area include the Garibaldi Highlands Trails, a network of forest tracks near Alice Lake Provincial Park.

Even golf has its own alpine spin here. At Furry Creek Golf and Country Club, the fairways are carved through mountain and forest, complete with a signature 14th hole set on a peninsula jutting into the sound.

Sea to Sky country is also a fabulous place to get wet. At Squamish Spit, for example, where the Squamish River flows into Howe Sound, the wind patterns are legendary among elite windsurfers and kiteboarders.

In addition, the shoreline is a great spot for ocean kayaking while anglers can choose from saltwater fishing in Howe Sound or fly-fishing in surrounding rivers and lakes.

And did someone say rafting? The rivers along the Sea to Sky corridor foam with whitewater.

Several area outfitters, including the Squamish-based Sunwolf Rafting, can take you on a thrill ride down the raging Elaho or a scenic family float along the Cheakamus.

One of Sunwolf’s cosy riverside cabins makes a great base, whatever your adventure of choices. It’s not all about the outdoors here, though. The Sea to Sky corridor, home to Coast Salish people for thousands of years, is rich in history.

Watch for seven Cultural Journey kiosks along the way (there are two additional kiosks in Whistler); each offers insights into the area’s dramatic geography and the mythology of the local Squamish and Lil’wat peoples.

The kiosks, designed to look like traditional woven hats, are a part of the Cultural Journey Project by the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre, a must-see museum and gallery in Whistler.

More recent history comes alive at the Britannia Mine Museum, a National Historic Site south of Squamish.

Here, you can step back in time to learn what life was like when Britannia was a mining town.

Now, 110 years later, the non-profit museum features fun, family-friendly, modern and historical exhibits, the awe-inspiring 20-storey Mill building, an underground train and even a gold panning area.

And don’t miss the West Coast Railway Heritage Park in Squamish. This ode to trains is home to more than 60 pieces of historic rolling stock, including a lavish 1890 first class business car and the legendary Royal Hudson, a steam engine that once puffed its way along the sound from Vancouver to Squamish.